The pending acquisition of McData by Brocade Communications Systems has the potential to create a SAN infrastructure powerhouse better able to fend off moves into the market by Cisco Systems, according to solution providers.

Expertise in knowing how and where to look for the cause of a network slowdown is priceless

Microsoft is planning to bring its Windows Storage Server operating system, currently available only to OEMs, to a wider range of custom-system builders as its Longhorn version of Windows becomes available.

An oversupply of Intel processors and chipsets fueled a nearly 78 percent gain in global surplus semiconductor inventory from the first quarter to the second quarter, the highest level since a troublesome inventory glut in the third quarter of 2004, according to research firm iSuppli.

EqualLogic has upgraded the firmware in its PS Series of iSCSI SAN appliances to make it easier to build multiple virtual SANs within a single storage pool. The new pooling capabilities gives solution providers and their customers to ability to separate data within a storage pool according to the characteristics of the data, enabling them to create a SAN within a SAN.

A soft system builder market thanks to price actions by processor and hard drive vendors were a drag on the second quarter revenue and earnings of Bell Microproducts, which otherwise reported a great quarter on Wednesday. The distributor reported revenue of $777 million, down 1 percent from the $788 million it reported for the second quarter of 2005. Earnings were $1.7 million, or 5 cents per share, compared to last year's earnings of $3.2 million, or 11 cents per share.

Sun Microsystems enjoyed a strong revenue growth for its fourth fiscal quarter of 2006 and for the entire year, but felt the pain of restructuring in the loss it reported for both the quarter and the year. Revenue for the quarter hit $3.8 billion, up 29 percent on the strength of server, storage, and services sales. However, the company lost $301 million, or 9 cents per share, in the quarter.

Microsoft plans to bring its Windows Storage Server operating system, now available only to OEMs, to a wider range of custom system builders with the rollout of its upcoming Longhorn version of Windows.

Hewlett-Packard on Monday gave a preliminary look at an upcoming storage device for small and midsized businesses with a starting price of about $5,000 for one Tbyte, and unveiled a few enhancements to existing storage hardware and software.